Environmental issues in both Law Enforcement and some indoor ranges have lead to an increasing demand for Lead-Free pistol ammunition. Winchester offers a number of product lines for both Law Enforcement, and the shooter with lead-free primers. The most popular of these is our WinClean® pistol line.
The unique characteristics of lead-free primers resulted in a conversion in 45 Auto to the small pistol-sized primer instead of the standard large pistol-sized primer for optimum firing performance. The improved 45 Auto lead-free shellcase now utilizes a small pistol primer for improved primer sensitivity. Winchester does not recommend reloading any 45 Auto shellcases with small primer pockets.A large pistol primer will not fit into a small pistol primer pocket. Attempts to insert a large pistol primer into a small pistol primer pocket can set the primer off. Winchester recommends that reloaders inspect shellcases prior to reloading to ensure there are no cases with small primer pockets.
Winchester has recently added an NT on the head of shell case for identification and we have added a warning on the front of all packaging which contains the 45 Auto lead-free primers which utilize the small primer pocket.
Uploaded: 11/5/2003